Clamping member



May 13, 1941, A. J. PETKUS CLAMPING MEMBER Patented May 13, 1941 UNITED STATES CLAMPING MEMBER Anton J. Petkus, Chica Electric Company,

2 Claims.

yThis invention relates to clamping members and particularly to clamping members for securing parts of devices in assembled relation.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved clamping member for securing parts of devices in assembled relation which is simple in construction and adapted to be applied and removed in a facile manner.

In accordance with the above object the invention in one embodiment thereof is illustrated as applied to the securing of an electrode assembly to a supporting bridge member of a telephone transmitter unit and comprises a centrally apertured circular clamping member formed with outer and inner peripheral flanges, the outer flange being endlessly corrugated or crimped and adapted to be pressed into holding relation with a cooperating circular extension semi-circular in cross-section formed on the peripheral edge of a neck portion of the bridge member, while the edge of the inner flange bears against an element of the electrode assembly.

In another embodiment of the invention the clamping cap is corrugated or crimped upon its outer flange after its association with the parts to be clamped together.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a cross sectional view of a telephone transmitter of a well known type embodying the clamping member of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, of the transmitter unit carrying the electrode assembly included in the telephone transmitter of Fig. 1, shown in reversed position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vplan view of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View of another embodiment of the invention in which the outer flange of the clamping member is corrugated after being mounted in position to secure the parts.

In the drawing the invention is shown applied for purposes of illustration to a well known type of electrical device, such as a telephone transmitter. Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a transmitter casing I has mounted therein a transmitter unit II which is clamped at one side against an annular 4shouldered surface I2 of the casing and at its opposite side is engaged by a shouldered surface I3 of a cap I4 screw threaded onto the casing. In Fig. 2 the transmitter unit I I is shown without its supporting casing I0 and in a reversed position corresponding to its posigo, Ill., assignor to Western Incorporated, New 4York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 6, 1938,V Serial No. 233,543

tion during assembly. The transmitter unit II includes a bridge member I1 having a shouldered aperture I8 in which is carried an electrode assembly I9 which is supported on an annular surface 23 of the aperture. Interposed between the surface 20 and the adjacent surface of the assembly I9 is a silk cloth washer 2I and a spider like supporting member 22 therefor.

The electrode assembly I9 includes brass and ceramic members 25 and 26, respectively, suitably cemented together as indicated at 2'I and so shaped internally to provide a chamber 28 for granular carbon 29 entered through an aperture 36 in the member 25 which is then closed by a cap 3l pressed inwardly around an outwardly flared circular neck portion 32 of the member 25. Engaging an annular surface 33 of the electrode member 25 and closely surrounding the inner peripheral surface of the aperture I8 of the bridge member Il is a phenol bre Washer 34, the outer surface of which is disposed slightly within an upper end surface 35 of a circular neck `portion 36 of the bridge member I'I. A further description of the telephone transmitter and unit II thereof to which the clamping member to be presently described is applied is not believed necessary for a full understanding thereof and its application.

In order to secure the electrode assembly I9 to the bridge member I1 there is provided a circular clamping member 43 formed of metal of a suitable thickness and having the desired characteristics. Formed in the member 40 is a central aperture 4I `through which projects the neck portion 32 of the electrode member 25. The member 4 at its outer periphery is formed with, as viewed in Fig. 2, a downwardly extending flange 42 which is continuously corrugated or crimped, as indicated at 43. Also formed on the member 40 and surrounding the periphery of the aperture 4I is a downwardly extending continuous flange 44. The depths of the flanges 42 and 44 are such that when the member 40 is in clamping position as shown in the drawing, the lower edge surface of the flange 44 will be in pressing engagement with the upper surface of lthe washer 34 of the electrode assembly and the lower edge surface of the corrugated flange 42 will lie in a vsuitable distance above the adjacent upper surface of the bridge member I1. Also, it will be noted that the lower annular surface of the member 40 between the anges 42 and 44 is in spaced relation with the upper annular surface 35 osthe neck por-tion 3S of the electrode member Formed on the peripheral edge of the electrode neck portion 36 is a continuous circular beaded flange or extension 48 which is semi-circular in cross-section. The diameter of the electrode neck portion 36, through the extension 48, relative to the inner diameter of the corrugated ange 42 of the clamping member 40 is such that when the member 40 is pressed downwardly onto the exv tension 48 the iiange 42 yields slightly in an outward direction. At the completion of the clamping operation the lower edge of the flange 44 of the member 40 will have'rmly pressed the electrode assembly i9 against the surface 20 of the bridge member I1 and the corrugated flange 42 will be in rm gripping relation with the circular extension 48 of the bridge member. During 'the clamping operation a slight exing in an outward directionfof the upper annular vportion ofY the member 40 about the outer peripheral edge thereof occurs. 'Ihis flexing takes place after the ner.V To remove the clamping member 40 one end Iof a suitably shapedtool may be inserted between the lower edge of the corrugated ange 42 and the opposed surface of the bridge member 1, and upon pressing the opposite end of the tool downwardly the Vmember 40 will be readily released. Y

It is to be understood that the granular carbon 29 is entered into the chamber Y28 after the electrode assembly I9 is clamped to the bridge member and thereafter the cap 3| secured in position. 1

Fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the invention comprising a clamping member 50, which' is substantiallyv similar to the previously described clamping-member 40, lexcept that it is formed initially with an -uncorrugated outer peripheral Yflange 5| which ts around a square edged circular iiange or extension 52 of theneck portion 3510i the bridge member I1. An inner continuous ange 54 of theclamping member 50 x is similar tothe corresponding flange of the previously"described embodiment `and serves in an identical manner thereto'. In applying the'memberj50 it is first positioned around the extension 52 ofthe bridge member'with the lower edge surface of the inner flange 54 engaging the uppei surface of the electrode assembly I9. While thus positioned a suitable pressure is exerted against the upper surface of the member 5i) at substantially the point indicated by the arrow 55 and simultaneously therewith the ange 5| is pressed inwardly and corrugated or crimped, as indicated at 56, around the portion thereof disposed below the extension 52 by a suitable forming chuck comprising radially moving jaws provided on their inner surfaces with forming teeth. Pressure at the arrow 55 is for the purpose of preventing the upper annular portion of the member 50 between the 'anges 5| and 54 from being drawn downwardly at its outer peripheral edge and contacting with the upper surface of the neck portion 36 of the bridge member during the corrugating operation with a consequent releasing of the pressure vof the inner fiange 54 on the electrode assembly I9.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that a simple and practical k'arrangement has been devised for firmly clamping together parts -cf devices yparticularly partsof telephone transmitters, Furthermore, the arrangement permits an expeditious assembly of the parts as Well as the release thereof.l Y

While the features of this invention have 4been disclosed in .a specific structure, it is, of course,.

understood that various modications' maybe made 'withoutideparting `'from the scope -of the invention asdened in the appended claims. What isiclained is: Y f i A- 1. 'Ina telephone transmitter unit, a supporting member having an aperture,V an electrode unit Within the-aperture, an-annular engaging shoulder en the supporting member, and a clamping member having innerV and `outer anges, the inner flange clamping .the electrode unit within the `supf.- porting member aperturev and the Youter 'ange corrugated to provide a clamping action around the annular engaging shoulder. n Y 2. The'combination, with a telephone transmitter unit having a supporting member, an annular engaging shoulder thereon Yand a recess within which is supported an electrode unit, of

an apertured sheet material clamping member through which `a portion of the electrode unit eX- tends and having inner and'outer flanges, said clamping member engaging at its outer iiange the annular lengaging 'shoulder with a yielding crimping action r and the inner flange engaging the electrode unit when 'the clamping member is pressed into position.

- yALNTGN J; PET'KUS.` 

